The future of... data encryption

Music

>> Sumi Das: From email to sensitive documents digital data is a crucial part of our lives but it also presents risks, it can be duplicated, distributed and potentially end up in the wrong hands but what if the information we sent had a shelf life? In the future, protecting your digital privacy could be as easy as clicking your mouse.

Music

Background music

>> For better or worse a computer never forgets. Digital data whether it's images, web posts or emails can be stored on PCs or servers forever. Embarrassing photos or inappropriate web posts can linger online and later be uncovered by perspective employers. A lost cell phone can divulge personal text messages. At the University of Washington, Seattle a team of computer science students and faculty has invented software that helps people forget in the digital world. Vanish destroys all copies of data after a period of time specified by the users. To use Vanish for an email for example users highlight text they want to encrypt then click a button. The software creates a secret encryption key that's divided into pieces and stored in various places on peer to peer networks. Since P to P systems continually change as computers log on and off the networks pieces of the key eventually become inaccessible meaning the original data could no longer be decrypted or read even by the sender. So why not just delete emails from your inbox? Or drag files to the trash on your PC and click empty. The researchers say that doesn't wipe out all data copies. If you're using web based email for example archive copies are likely to live on back up servers. The goal is to create the digital equivalent of a telephone call where both parties can be confident that the conversation will remain private forever. A prototype of Vanish is available but the creators stress the software is very much a work in progress and intended for research only. Ultimately, the technology could be built into your email program, browser, operating system or cell phone. Anywhere you create, store or manage data. The future of data encryption, helping your data disappear. For Smart Planet I'm Sumi Das.

Music

==== Transcribed by Automatic Sync Technologies ====